Suspect in home thefts in custody

Man tied to items lost after home explosion

A man has been arrested on suspicion of stealing personal items from house that exploded earlier this year northeast of Durango.

The U.S. Marshal’s Service arrested Jerry Anthony Spinnichia, 32 on Nov. 2 in Milwaukee, according to a news release issued Monday by the Durango Police Department.

Spinnichia and three others are suspected of stealing a trailer that contained valuable items that survived the blast, including snowmobiles.

The explosion occurred in February north of Lemon Reservoir at the home of Tim and Karen Kelley. The home was leveled in the natural-gas explosion.

It trapped Tim, Karen and their 9-year-old daughter, Cameron, causing serious injuries to all three.

Friends and family placed salvageable belongings into a 27-foot enclosed trailer and locked it.

Authorities located the trailer in June in Aztec.

Ashley Moore, 21, of Durango, and Darin Scott, 32, of Farmington, were arrested on suspicion of being in possession of items belonging to the Kelleys.

Spinnichia was at the location of the trailer, but he avoided capture that day and fled to Wisconsin.

The police department requested the assistance of the Marshals Service after learning Spinnichia possibly fled to Wisconsin. The agencies worked together on leads and were able to track down Spinnichia to a new place of employment where he was arrested without incident.

He was arrested on four outstanding warrants, including one from the Durango Police Department.

He is awaiting extradition back to Colorado to face formal charges.

All of the stolen property taken from the Kelleys has been recovered, the release says.

The police department thanked those who helped capture Spinnichia.

“Without the help of our concerned citizens, arrests like these are almost impossible,” the release says.